After BR-15 Texas-Tyler junior forward Brittany Matthews drilled a shot in the 74th minute of the Patriots match against BR-28 Hardin-Simmons last month, UT-Tyler notched their second consecutive regular season victory over the Cowgirls. Since the two teams left the field that Saturday afternoon in September, the two teams have been on a rampage through the American Southwest Conference.
UT-Tyler has gone unbeaten on the season thus far, posting a 55-2 scoring advantage over opponents, while HSU has won 6 straight, outscoring their opposition 40-2.
In earning their tenth win of the season with a 6-0 victory over Ozarks, the Patriots notched their ninth shutout in 11 games, having not allowed a goal in 598 minutes of play dating back to a 5-1 win over BR-266 Southwestern on September 13th. Sitting on top of the ASC standings, the Patriots also lead the league in goals-against average (0.178), saves percentage (0.905), shutout percentage (0.818) and won-loss-tied percentage (0.995). Their five goals per game scoring average, in addition to leading the conference, also ranks fifth in the nation.
After the Ozark shutout, sophomore Caroline Williams earned her first ASC Defensive Player of the Week honor of her career. “Caroline has done a tremendous job for us this year in the back line giving us a ball winning presence,” UT Tyler head coach Stefani Webb said. “She reads the game really well and is a great athlete so she has really stepped up to lead this team.”
Williams honor was the second consecutive Defensive POW for Tyler, as defender Melissa Miller was the prior week’s recipient. “Not only as a backline, but as a whole team, we are defending together,” said UT Tyler senior Melissa Miller who earned ASC Defensive Player of the Week honor. Miller scored two goals and assisted on another during the week. “We are trusting each other and working really well together. We are 100 percent confident in what we are doing and we have each other’s back. If I make mistake I know that my teammates are going to be there to clean it up.”
The Patriots return to the field hitting the road for matches against BR-325 Louisiana College and then this weekend against Belhaven in Jackson, Mississippi. The Patriots are 2-0-1 on the road this season and will be playing away from home for the first time since earning a 10-0 win over Sul Ross State on September 24th.
Hardin-Simmons has put together six straight wins since their 1-0 loss to UT-Tyler, culminating with a convincing 4-0 victory over BR-297 Concordia. Sophomore midfielder Kami Jones put the Cowgirls ahead with her 12th goal of the season just 10 minutes into the first half.
Freshman forward Kenne Kessler and sophomore defender Kirsten Parrish each also contributed with two in the net to take the halftime score to 3-0. In the 78th minute, junior forward Jordan Lara added her 10th goal of the season.
Concordia senior forward Nicole Henderson put the Tornados on the board with just fourteen seconds remaining for just the second goal in six games against the Cowgirls.HSU outshot the Tornados 27-5 in the contest.
After a week off, the Cowgirls host McMurry this weekend.
